The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-07-09
(TO be continued !
JUDGE EVANS.
Where he Has Been, ana What he Has
Seen.--Interesting Facts About
West Point.

west fOlht.
"Why, don't know" said Judge Evans,
in reply to the inquiry of the FREE TRADER
scribe, the other day; 81 don't know that
there is anything particular about my trip.
l went to Philadelphia, West Point, New
York and Washington"
Cant you tell us something about West
Point, Judge? am sure our readers would
be interested in that"
Eyes, | don't know but I can. WAC
there at the graduation exercises. There
were sixty-fo in the class. They were
marched in in line and were addressed by
General Sherman, and also bv General Phil.
Sheridan. General Sherman said that the
principal thing he learned at West Point was
to obey. The best and most useful lesson to
be learned, he thought, at military school
was to obey and keep still. General Sheri-
dan entertained the boys with an account Of
his own life and its many incidents,
"My son was kept from receiving his di-
ploma by little military bubble, and I
went to Washington to see if | could get his
case looked into. You have doubtless seen
the mention of his case in the papers. The
way of it was this He was spoken to rather
sharply one day by superior officer, and
enquired the cause of it, saying he had been
accustomed to being treated courteously.
This was insubordination. He was court
martiaed and sentenced to have his diploma
withheld until the middle of August. saw
Secretary of War Endicott, but there was too
much delay and red-tape; and, although Mr.,
Endicott wrote letter to General Merritt,
giving his views of the matter, still nothing
was DONE 1t was little thing, but the dis
cipline is very strict, and if the boys got the
idea that the decision of the court-martial
could be easily laid aside, Of course that
would encourage insubordins,ion."
"Isn't the craftsmanship drill in the cav
airy service very fne?"
"Yes, that is very fine, indeed. They have
riding hall some GOO feet long, and their
horses are very vicious. About four or FIVE
places in the length of the hall have earth
works Put up, and dummy heads behind
them. Then the boys will ride around at
full speed and shoot at these dummy heads.
They also have paper covered rings suspend
ed from the ceiling, and very near the sup
posed enemy's trench. saw one boy ride
up to trench on very unruly horse and
shoot off three dummy heads, put the pistol
back in his pocket, draw his sword and run
1t through the paper ring,-all while his
horse was jumping the trench. The drill is
very severe, but the degree Of skill in horse
mansnip and of accuracy with the sword
and pistol that they reach is very won
derful."
Don't most of the boys who graduate
from West Point expect to remain in the
army
"Yes, most of them do. They are taught
to look upon most civilian employments as
un worthy and beneath them, and their de-
sire for an occupation is only to fight
"Do you regard such training as that
those sentiments and ideas-as a good sort
of training for boy to possess ~
t"N-No," said the Judge, smiling; "No,
in ordinary life don't, but it is the sort Of
training to make good soldiers"
The trip Of the city fathers on the Sidney s,
last Thursday was a very exciting one. Ey-
cry one present had good time. When they
got to Forest Island the party, headed by Al
derman Hull, alighted to view the lovely
camping ground, inhabited mostly by mos
quitoes. After short run over the island
Mayo called ovt, "Look on. for snakesm and
you should have seen the Mayor making
| for the little steamer on the double-quck, fol-
lowed ~ all the rest, inquiring if the snakes
were in their boots or hiding behind the large
elm trees which cover the island. But all got
safely on board and steamed up to the point
of Perkins Island, and after making the
sounding, the captain turned the little craft
and pushed for the hub of La Sale county.
The electric and gas lights on the bridges
made very picturesque sight. The signal
sounded for landing on the mineral spring
grounds, and the party debarked, and closed
the evenings pleasures by taking drink ana
thanking j. E. Porter for their pleasant ride.
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